Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-12-10

1
A Bisss OF Evidence Brought cut ut tho
Trial Of Cashier Harper = Additional
Testimony Showing the Dishonest Char
acter of the Banks Oicers.
CINCINNATI, November 30.-The trial Of e.
L. Harper was resumed to-day in the United
States court a long time after the appointed
hour, owing to the absence of juror, who
obtained leave last night to 60 home and
arrange his business The first witness was
J. W. Hoyt, broker of this city, whose tes-
timony gave in detail numerous transactions
in the buying of wheat in Chicago by him.
When asked for whom he was acting, he
answered that B. e. Hopkins, the assistant
cashier of the Fidelity bank, made the pur-
chases, but the settlements were always
Eegan in January last. They were ordinary
speculative purchases, where no wheat Is
ever seen, but settlements are made accord
ing to how the market runs.
Hoyt said Hopkins gave him checks signed
by himself, and with these he purchased OF
the exchange clerk at the Fidelity bank
drafts and letters of advice in favor OF Green
d Co., of Chicago. Witness said ne went 70 <,
Chicago the day after the wheat market
broke, and went to the Exchange National
W. Wiltshire, Kershaw, Irwin, and
several of the bank officials. He
also received two drafts for $lOo,OOO
each, executed by the Fidelity Nationa.
bank. Mr.. Hoyt said he had no personal
transactions with E. l.. .Harper-dld not
know him. @. j. Kershaw, of hicago, was
the next witness. He said he had been
grain merchant for twenty-five years. His
testimony was limited to identifying checks,
drafts and letters of advice sent him by Mr..
Hoyt and the Fidelity bank. On cross-ex-
animation he said he had no transactions
with f. L. Harper. Everything was done
through J. w. Hoyt and Wiltshire, Eckert d
Co. All drafts upon the Fidelity bank were
honored.
Mr.. William Monroe, manager of the
Bank of Montreal, at Chicago, testified
that Irwin, Green d Co. deposited in his
bank, in June last, two drafts for 100000
each, drawn by the Fidelity National bank
upon the Chemical National bank of New
York. Payment was stopped.
A. w. Green, of the firm of Irwin, Green
Il Co., of Chicago, was the next called. He
testified that he made purchases of
extent extent of Of 100000 bushels. Hoyt
gave security for part of the purchase
in drafts and letters of advice from the
Fidelity, stating that he had money de-
posted there to his credit. There was over
100000 in the Fidelity bank to the credit
of Irwin, Green & Co. The defense, on
cross examination, again emphasized the
point that the witness had no transactions
whatever with E. L. Harper; that everything
was done through the brokers named.
Robert M. Orr, assistant cashier of the
American Exchange bank, of Chicago. was
called to identify the drafts referred to by
Mr.. Hoyt.
Mr.. Eckert, of Wiltshire, Eckert & Co., of
Cincinnati, followed. He testified to deals
with Kershaw & Co. and other Chicago
firms from January last till June, and said
they sent about 100000 to Chicago to
Kershaw & Co. When asked where he got
the money he said he could not tell exactly;
he supposed it came from parties
interested in the wheat deal.
He was then shown some
checks signed by himself and Wiltshire, and
was asked again where the money came
from. He said: "All had to do when calls
were made on US was to go to the Fidelity
bank and give our check for the amount.
Where the money came from / don't know.
When these checks we're drawn we did not
have that amount in bank"
j. w. Wiltshire, partner of Eckert, was
next called. He identified checks aggregat-
ing 81, 800, 600 drawn by j. w. Wiltshire and
endorsed by Wiltshire, Eckert & Co. He
said that either himself or Mr. Eckert had
endorsed the checks. He said there was an
understanding between him and Mr.. Harper
that these checks should be protected. He
made it clear that he acted in all this wheat
deal as the agent or broker of E. i. Harper.